Was Carolyn Bessette’s sister really not her maid of honor? What Love Story gets wrong about the ...

The FX series tackled JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's wedding in episode 6. Was Carolyn Bessette's sister really not her maid of honor? What Love Story gets wrong about the Kennedy wedding party The FX series tackled JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's wedding in episode 6. By Allison DeGrushe :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/allisondegrusheEWbiophotoe5f8e89253c84b7085a43c502a3051a4.jpg) Allison DeGrushe Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at . She has been working at since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify. EW's editorial guidelines March 6, 2026 12:48 p.m.

The FX series tackled JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's wedding in episode 6.

Was Carolyn Bessette's sister really not her maid of honor? What Love Story gets wrong about the Kennedy wedding party

The FX series tackled JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's wedding in episode 6.

By Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

EW's editorial guidelines

March 6, 2026 12:48 p.m. ET

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Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette on 'Love Story'; Carolyn Bessette in May 1999. Credit:

- FX's *Love Story *delves into John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's relationship.

- In episode 6, Carolyn chooses not to have either of her sisters as her maid of honor.

- In reality, Lauren was the maid of honor, while a Kennedy family member was matron of honor.

Ryan Murphy's *Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette *dives into the passionate romance between JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon).

The series tackles how the couple settles on an intimate ceremony that still carries the weight of a "Kennedy wedding," both in its public visibility and in the prospective bridal party only including Kennedys. This setup forces** **Carolyn to make some tough calls, including deciding** **who will stand by her side as maid of honor.

But what wedding drama went down in real life? Read on to see how true events compare to the series.**

Did Carolyn Bessette ask her sister to be maid of honor?

Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette on 'Love Story'.

On the show, Carolyn and her sister, Lauren (Sydney Lemmon), have a candid conversation about the upcoming wedding. They start talking about the maid of honor title, and to Lauren's surprise, Carolyn reveals that neither she nor their other sister, Lisa, will be filling the role. Instead, Carolyn already has another person in mind, and Lauren is none too pleased with her decision.

However, a source told PEOPLE that, in real life, Lauren *was *the maid of honor at Carolyn's wedding. The other person ultimately became Carolyn's matron of honor, both on the show and in reality.

Who ended up being Carolyn Bessette's matron of honor?

Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy on 'Love Story'.

During that same conversation in episode 6, Carolyn asks Lauren for her opinion on whether she should ask JFK Jr.'s older sister, Caroline (Grace Gummer), to be her maid of honor. Despite the tension this stirs, Carolyn offers the role to Caroline, who accepts.

This might come as a surprise to some viewers given the women's interactions earlier in the series. When they first meet in episode 4, Caroline isn't exactly warm to Carolyn, but after the anonymous letter drama, Caroline surprisingly stands up for her soon-to-be sister-in-law. By episode 5, when Carolyn initially rejects JFK Jr.'s proposal over concerns about their future, Caroline admits she "might be starting to like her."

See the cast of 'Love Story' side-by-side with the real Kennedys and Bessettes

Ryan Murphy takes flak from John F. Kennedy Jr.'s nephew Jack Schlossberg for 'Love Story' series

When the big day finally arrived in real life, JFK Jr. and Carolyn were married on Cumberland Island, a secluded area in Georgia. "They couldn't have chosen a more obscure place," Chris McLean, a builder living in nearby Fernandina Beach, Fla., previously told PEOPLE.

Constance Zimmer as Ann Messina on 'Love Story'.

The ceremony was a strictly private affair with just 40 guests, many of whom were, of course, members of the Kennedy family. Among them were JFK Jr.'s cousin, Anthony Radziwiłł, who served as best man, and his sister Caroline, who was matron of honor. Caroline's daughters, Rose and Tatiana, were flower girls, and her son, Jack, was the ring bearer.

According to PEOPLE, JFK Jr.'s late mother, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, left a tangible mark on the wedding. Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a friend of Onassis and designer of the White House Rose Garden, selected the bridal party's flowers, and Onassis' butler, Efigenio Pinheiro, handled the greenery at the church altar.

Both onscreen and in reality, Lauren, Lisa, Carolyn's mother Ann, and her step dad were in attendance for the wedding.

Where can I watch Love Story?

*Love Story *airs Thursdays on FX, with new episodes available to stream the following day on Hulu.

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Published: March 6, 2026 at 02:00PM on Source: PRIME TIME

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